[shunammite]

I STILL have not had a chance to listen to the whole thing through with concentration - have heard bits and pieces more than once - just wanted to amend my somewhat lukewarm comment previously. I am enjoying the latter songs VERY MUCH. I think the Good Fight is something like Freedom Fighter, only racheted up a few notches. (I love Freedom Fighter, it always makes me think of riding a bull. I watched someone at a fair riding a mechanical bull - he was doing good and they let him ride a while - but then they can change it up so that ANYONE will be thrown off. Kind of wish I had tried it - like riding that wild ass that snuffs up the wind and no man ever rode before - yep a bible ref - sorry Creed forgive me - not their fault, it's where my mind runs.)

At first I think some of the songs may sound "self absorbed" - but I think that is the real fight of everyone (be kind everyone is fighting a hard battle, Plato). To understand yourself and approve of who you are.

I also thought at first I would not like that lyric "does the song you sing make others want to sing along" ok that's close anyway - and at first I think WHO CARES IF ANYONE ELSE SINGS WITH ME - but we do care - we can't stand singing alone forever.

Just love the powerful guitar stuff with the powerful lyrics - people laugh when you bring that stuff up - because most people are afraid to challenge what really gnaws deep inside. Fear of death/worthlessness. I read somewhere a quote from Lars Ulrich that he had always been obsessed with death - see that's the artist for you - a normal person never thinks about that stuff - I was not "artistic" - or religious either (those two things are flip sides of the same coin but the two sides usually cannot acknowledge each other - the reason Creed catches SO MUCH CRAP is they embrace both pretty openly - but when everyone hates you you are probably onto something close to the truth) - I was dragged over to the dark side kicking and screaming - and the only way out is to fight the good fight.

ETA - I think (just judging from my own life I guess) that failure to approve of who you are makes a person damned critical of others. Makes me think of that movie The Cell, the cruel madman who imprisoned that girl in the water cell - there was a cruel mad man inside his own head tormenting him. It is not easy to be "ok" with who you are. Easy to say, but hard to do from the heart. A good fight to fight though. I'm not sure it would be a "better world" if no one every criticized anyone or anything - it's part of the process to create needed change I guess - but I am glad not to be so driven to change others or myself as I once was...still hope for a little improvement here and there. Does this belong in faith forum? (I don't think so. But I will keep my meanderings there if people are offended here.)